Breathing exercise · 4 · 2 · 6
4-2-6 breath (4 · 2 · 6) for a cold morning, when you are not sure this will work
A 4 · 2 · 6 rhythm — a short hold in the middle, a long way out.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Take 4 counts to breathe in, hold for 2, and 6 to breathe out. Keep the out-breath unhurried. Not being sure it will work is a perfectly good reason to try it once. We'll stay close to sensations rather than ideas.
Why it can help
You are not emptying your lungs, just taking longer to do it. The extra seconds are where the effect lives.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 4s | 0s |
| Hold | 2s | 4s |
| Exhale | 6s | 6s |
One round is 12 seconds. At the default 4 rounds this practice runs 48 seconds — about a minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- just before you have to say something difficult
- when the afternoon has gone flat
- when you are tired but cannot afford to be
Tips
- Keep the effort mild. If you can hear yourself breathing hard, slow it down.
- Two minutes done properly beats ten minutes done while checking your phone.
- Holding your breath is optional in every exercise here. You can always breathe through instead.
Please note
If holding your breath makes you dizzy or uncomfortable, skip the holds entirely and breathe slowly and evenly instead. Never push through lightheadedness. If you are pregnant, or manage a heart, blood pressure or lung condition, check with a doctor before doing breath holds.
If this rhythm does not suit you, try 5-7 breathing exercise for the end of the working day — before something difficult, Coherent 4-4 breathing exercise for a cold morning — when you only have a few minutes or Tight box breath (4 · 1 · 4 · 1) for a hot day, when you are doing this for the first time.